Would like to start developing my own color negs... C41?

I'd like to develope my own color negatives. Can anyone advise me as

to the process proceedure and maybe recomend all the chemicals I

would need? Maybe a complete kit to get me started?

Why bother?

 

Develop your own B&W, sure. E6, maybe. C41, not much point beyond experimentation. K14, for the bumper sticker "I develop my own Kodachrome".

 

My 2 cents.

Developing your own C-41 is easy and relatively cheap. Cost about $1 a roll using readily available processing kits. My staple for this process is the Tetenal 5 liter kit. It's an all liquid kit that can be mixed in smaller quantities, has excellent keeping properties (stock as well as working solutions), and produces wonderful results, consistently.

 

The process is normally carried out at 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), is three chemicals and a couple of rinses, and the first step is the only one that's really temperature sensitive. If you don't have a tempered water bath processor (like a Jobo), you can use a water bath in any vessel large enough (kitchen sink, ice chest, etc.). That first step is only 3 minutes and 15 seconds, so it's not difficult to hold the temp steady for that long.

 

If you can develop your own B&W materials, you can certainly process your own C-41.

Why bother?... well the results I get from the processor down the block is beyond reproach. I don't shoot much color but when I do I expect them to be perfect. I see you mention E-6 and some other systems. C-41 seems to be the process recommended on most popular films, at least that is what the film box has printed on it. Is there an easier method?... better method?... cheaper method?

 

I have a complete B&W darkroom, SS tanks, enlarger...etc and am well setup. I just want to do my color negatives and scan em in for review. The photos that please me will be enlarged later by a photo finisher. As i said before, I don't shoot many rolls/yr but this time of year I like color for seasonal foliage and landscapes. Perhaps once I start this I may wind up printing too.

 

I am a bit lost on the procedure and the chemicals needed. I'll be developing 2-4 rolls per session. Can I mix small quantities of 2 cups (16oz) at a time? Temperature regulation is not a problem I have an insulated SS sink and auto faucet regulator.

 

I have cruised B&H but don't see "kits," I have no idea what I am looking at. Can I buy individual chemicals instead? What chemicals will i need the most of? Mixing? What has to be mixed? or is this reconstituting concentrates?

 

Please, I'd like a step by step description of the process from start to finish if anyone is experienced and wouldn't mind sharing this info? I have read everything available on the net but it's all confusing and abstract since everyone refers to "as per mixing instructions" and reducers, bleaches pre warming, which only tells me a process for nonspecific brand and steps that don't make sense without seeing it being done. I'm sure a good step by step by someone actually doing it with a specific popular brand of chemicals will clear this up for me.

Hi,<br><br>

Buy a Tetenal Colortec C41 rapid kit. All is in, included a step-by-step manual.<br> The other option is - as said - E6. Here too Tetenal sells a nice 3 baths kit. The point is that E6 allows you to control the quality of your shots directly on the light table. Chemestry-Printing is another story. Enjoy !

OK, You've got some specific questions, I have specific answers. First, I've been processing my own color negatives for 27 years. So you can assign a value on the information I'm going to share with you.

 

The process is very simple. You have three chemicals. First the Color Developer. Does what the name implies. Next is the "Blix" (short for Bleach and Fixer), bleaches out the color dyes and fixes just the same as in the B&W process. Last is the Stabilizer. A Formaldehyde based (usually formalin) step that also contains a wetting agent (like Photo-Flo).

 

I'm quoting the process direct from the instruction guide from the Tetenal kit I spoke about. First step is to pre-heat the developing tank and the film you're going to process to 100 degrees. You do this by placing your tank with the film loaded and all sealed up in the water bath your tempering your chemicals in. It's also the same bath of water you'll keep your tank in during the process to hold the temperature of the chemical inside the tank where they should be.

 

Second step, the Color Developer at 100 degrees for 3 minutes and 15 seconds up to 4 minutes (depends on how many rolls you are doing/have done in this batch of chemicals). After you've poured the chemicals into the tank, you're going to return the tank to the water bath. You can leave the developer container out of the water bath for now. Keep the tank in the water and do your tank agitation there. Just the same as for B&W.

 

Third step is the Blix at 100 +/- 3 degrees for 4 to 15 minutes (same rule on number of rolls applies). Process this in the same manner as I described for the developer.

 

Fouth step is a rinse for 3 minutes at 86 - 104 degrees. Use the same process as you use when you wash B&W film.

 

Final step is the Stabilizer for one minute. Keep the stabilizer in a seperate container like a small basin used only for this purpose. Stabilizer has been known to build up a sticky film on processing tanks and reels making the reels diffcult to load. So take the film off the reels before you place the film in the Stabilizer. Then hang to dry.

 

Like I said in my first post, the Tetenal kit is all liquid. You can mix partial quantities, and for your example of 16 oz (500 ml), you would mix 50 ml of the 3 developer concentrates in 350 ml of water (distilled is best). The Blix is almost the same procedure with 100 ml of both chemicals in 300 ml of water. The Stabilizer is 5 ml in 495 ml of water. As long as you press the extra air out of the three developer concentrates (or use an oxygen displacement spray), they last over a year or more. The working solutions (partially used) last about 6 months. Once the BLIX develops 'snow' (if it happens, you'll know what I mean) or the developer is very dark (like stout beer) then they have gone bad.

 

Go to B&H and search for "TEC415LK". That's the kit I'm talking about. It is possible to mix your own, but with the low volume you're talking about, I'm not sure it would be economical. This kit is not replenishing, but again, with as low a volume as your write, it's not beneficial to replenish (this is usually in large volume systems). The individual chemicals you may have seen at B&H are for large volume productions. I would not recommend them.

 

If you have any more specific question, you can post them here or contact me directly.

 

Jim

Here's a link to the kit mentioned above: <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=109269&is=REG">Tetenal C-41 kit</a>

That's great thanks. I thought each chemical process had several parts to each that had to be mixed in exacting proportions each time I set up. It sounds very complicated when you have no idea what they are talking about. I'm looking at B&H color chemicals and there are so many types and brands. So it's a one time mix and use as needed like B&W since the stuff can last for almost a year in my sealed squeeze bottles.

 

I'm going to get the kit and give it a try now that you've cvleared it all up for me.

 

Any tips for better results or adjustments for certain situations?

It is possible to push (or pull) process the film and that's covered in the instruction booklet. Just follow the instruction and do it the same way every time. Betcha say "If only I'd known it was this easy" after the first roll(s). Post your results here. I'd like to know and maybe someone else out there reading this will give it a shot as well. Good luck.

I did a lot of E6 at home (Tetenal 3-bath kit) before trying C-41 and I found C-41 easier. The C-41 kit I had provided instructions for use at temperatures other than 100F which made life much easier -- I ran it at about 30C if I recall correctly. The same is theoretically possible with E6 but most kits don't provide instructions on how to do it. There will be colour shifts when running at temperatures other than 100F but they can be corrected for during printing -- if you are projecting slides, you're out of luck!

Paul;

 

I've posted this before, and I'll do it again here.

 

Blixes (bleach fixes) for films are hard to design, are cranky, season poorly (that means they don't like to have lots of film run through them without adding more chemicals or extending the time) and they keep poorly. That last effect is the snow mentioned above.

 

I suggest that you make sure that you use fresh blix and use at least 8 - 10 mins for the blix at 100 deg, to make sure you remove all of the silver.

 

The 3 minute wash is probably not enough. I use 5 mins or longer. After 3 mins, there is still blix and silver complexes left in the film.

 

Make sure you leave the film in the stabilzer for at least 1.5 minutes or you can have dye stability problems. The same can happen if you don't wash all of the blix out of the film!

 

Take this from a guy who used to coat color negative films at EK, and who designed bleach fixes.

 

I use EK products myself, not because I worked at EK, but because I know what can happen if I trust my pictures to a process that does not contain all of the current proprietary ingredients that EK uses. I would also trust Fuji-Hunt.

 

Ron Mowrey

I agree with Ron's comments re: stability and use of blixes. Tetenal's kit packages the blix in two components that are mixed immediately before use. I have not had any problems with this setup, though I did have problems with a C41 kit containing a pre-mixed blix that was bad by the time I got it. Observe the shelf life and roll limit info included with the kits. Kodak's kit is no doubt great but B&H (for example) sells it only in the gallon size and doesn't even ship that (Adorama may, though, as they seem more slack about those things). Tetenal and Photocolor make smaller-volume kits that will be good for occasional use and for getting your feet wet. I know Agfa makes a small kit as well that is (was?) widely available here in Canada. Buy a kit and try it out with some non-critical photos. Post your results when you have them!

Jordan;

 

This is ironic, but my local shop in Rochester, about 1/2 mile (walking distance) from Kodak Park gets their Kodak materials shipped from Canada! Nice?

 

I buy from Calumet if I need mail order. They ship everything. www.calumetphoto.com

 

Ron Mowrey

gotta love the logic. bh will ship a c41 kit a dozen different ways but a box of diafine - no way.